Apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes



Oct. 23, 1962 w, o ms ETAL 3,059,651

APPARATUS FOR MAKING MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES Filed June 5, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO/{S ATTORNEY.

Oct. 23, 1962 w, o s A 3,059,651

APPARATUS FOR MAKING MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES Filed June 3, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATToRA/EYJ' Oct. 23, 1962 D. w. MOLINS ETAL 3,059,551

APPARATUS FOR MAKING MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES Filed June 3, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 23., 1962 3,059,651 APPARATUS FUR MAKING MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES Desmond Walter Molins and Tom Rowlands, Deptford,

London, England, assignors t Molins Machine Company Limited, London, England, a British compmy Filed June 3, 1959, Ser. No. 817,843 Claims priority, application Great Britain June 6, 1958 9 Claims. ((1 Lil-94) This invention concerns improvements in or relating to apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes.

Mouthpiece cigarettes are sometimes made by assembling together groups each consisting of two cigarette lengths with a double-length mouthpiece portion between them, uniting each such group, e.g. while it is moving sideways, and cutting the united group through the mouthpiece portion to produce two individual mouthpiece cigarettes. The present invention is concerned with apparatus whereby mouthpiece cigarettes are made in the way just described, and in which the groups are formed while the cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portions are moving endwise in succession.

The expression mouthpiece portion when used herein is to be understood as meaning any portion or group of portions of mouthpiece (e.g. filtering) material, or a hollow tube or tubes, or any other suitable portion or portions of material, or any combination of the foregoing. The expression double-length mouthpiece portion is to be understood as meaning a mouthpiece portion (as defined above) which is of double the length required for an individual mouthpiece cigarette, and is to be understood as including any suitable arrangement of separate units, whether the latter are initially joined so as to form a unitary length, or are fed separately into position between two cigarette lengths. In the description contained herein of the arrangement and operation of the specific constructions described and illustrated by way of example, the mouthpiece portions consist of stubs (which form one example of mouthpiece portions as defined above) and are referred to as such.

In the manufacture of mouthpiece cigarettes in the manner referred to above, difficulty may sometimes occurespecially with machines operating at high speed-in accurately controlling the positioning of the lengthwise moving cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portions during and after their formation into groups, both as regards their longitudinal position and their axial alignment. If they are carried lengthwise on a conveyor band, they may become accidentally displaced relatively to the band.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes, in which cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portions which are to be united are carried lengthwise in succession on a conveyor, wherein the conveyor is air-pervious and wherein the apparatus comprises suction means to apply suction through the said conveyor to hold the cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portions to the conveyor and thereby control their positioning on the conveyor.

The conveyor and the suction means may be so arranged that suction is applied along a relatively narrow area extending lengthwise of the conveyor, whereby the cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portions are held to the conveyor in substantial axial alignment. For example the conveyor may be provided with a single row of suction apertures extending along the length of the conveyor (e.g. disposed centrally of the conveyor). Alternatively the conveyor may be provided with a continuous suction aperture in the form of a narrow slot extending along its length (e.g. the conveyor is made in two parts spaced laterally apart to provide the said slot).

The apparatus may comprise means to feed cigarette lengths on to said band with spaces between ends of cigarette lengths, means to feed mouthpiece portions on to the conveyor in the said spaces, and means to cause relative movement between cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portions, lengthwise of the conveyor, so as to form groups each consisting of two cigarette lengths with a mouthpiece portion between and in line with them. Defiector-rneans may be provided to push each successive group sideways from the conveyor towards means for uniting the groups, the said deflector-means comprising a pusher-member arranged to engage the sides of the two cigarette lengths and the mouthpiece portion constituting the group and to push them sideways while the suction means acting through the conveyor opposes such sideways movement and thereby assists in aligning the cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portions axially with one another as they are being pushed sideways.

The apparatus may comprise a pusher to feed a mouthpiece portion on to the conveyor into a space behind a cigarette length, and a brake member arranged to move temporarily into frictional engagement with a side of the said cigarette length so as to retard its forward movement while the conveyor slips beneath it, the said brake member being arranged to remain in contact with the said cigarette length until the said mouthpiece portion has moved into endwise abutment with the cigarette length, and the said pusher being arranged to maintain engagement with said mouthpiece portion has moved into endwise abutment with the said cigarette length and until after the said brake member has disengaged the said cigarette length, whereby the said cigarette length and mouthpiece portion are correctly positioned lengthwise of the conveyor. The said brake member may be positioned alongside the conveyor, and comprising a stationary member opposed to the brake member whereby on operation of the brake member to engage a cigarette length the latter is gripped between the two said members.

The apparatus may comprise means to feed pairs of endwise-aligned cigarette lengths on to said conveyor, with spaces between successive pairs, means to feed a mouthpiece portion into each of said spaces, and means to efiect endwise separation of the two cigarette lengths which constitute each of said pairs, so as to form groups each consisting of two cigarette lengths with a mouthpiece portion between and in line with them. There may also be provided a movable brake member and a stationary member positioned at opposite sides of the conveyor and having opposed surfaces, and means to move the brake member towards the stationary member so as to grip and retard the rear cigarette length of a pair so as to retard its move ment with the conveyor and thereby separate the said length from the leading length of the said pair.

Alternatively the apparatus may comprise a pair of co operating segmental rollers arranged to grip the rear cigarette length of a pair, and to rotate so that their segmental cigarette-engaging parts have a surface speed slower than that of the conveyor, whereby the said length is retarded and separated from the leading length of the said pair. The segmental rollers may be angularly adjustable so as to alter the timing of the cigarette-engaging part of one with respect to that of the other, whereby the period of retarding engagement of said rollers with a cigarette length may be adjusted.

Further according to the invention, there is provided apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes, comprising means to feed pairs of endwise-aligned cigarette lengths on to a conveyor, with spaces between successive pairs, means to feed a mouthpiece portion into each of said spaces, and means to effect endwise separation of the two cigarette lengths which constitute each of said pairs,

so as to form groups each consisting of two cigarette lengths with a mouthpiece portion between and in line with them. The apparatus may comprise a hopper for cigarette lengths to accommodate cigarette lengths of double the length required, means to feed said double lengths towards the conveyor, and cutting means to cut the double lengths in two, and thereby form the said pairs of cigarette lengths, before the latter reach the conveyor. The conveyor may be air-pervious, and comprising suction means to apply suction through the conveyor to hold the cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portions to the conveyor and thereby control their positioning on the conveyor.

Apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional end view of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a plan of one form of apparatus according to the invention, embodying the mechanism shown in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 4,

FIGURE 6 is a front elevation of a modified form of apparatus,

FIGURE 7 is a plan of part of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 6, and

FIGURE 8 is a plan illustrating a modified form of conveyor.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 and 2, these two figures illustrate apparatus which is intended to be linked to a continuous rod cigarette-making machine from which cigarette lengths, suitably spaced apart endwise, travel endwise on to a conveyor band 1 which passes over a roller 2. The cigarette lengths may, however, be fed to a conveyor band such as the band 1 from a hopper, for example in the manner which will be described later with reference to FIGURES 3 and 4 and FIGURES 5-7 of the drawings.

As mentioned above, the mouthpiece portions used in this specific example are stubs (e.g. of filtering material), and will for convenience be referred to as stubs in the specific description which follows.

The band 1 is made of metal and is provided with a row of holes 3 extending centrally along its length. A suction chamber 4- disposed beneath the conveyor band has a narrow opening 5 extending along the band in register with the holes 3. A suitable fan or other device is arranged to draw air from the chamber 4.

A stub-feeding device, which may be a described and illustrated in the complete specification and drawings of U.S. patent application Serial No. 714,338, filed February 10, 1958, now Patent No. 3,009,557, is arranged alongside the conveyor band and includes a rotating disc 6 having peripheral pushers 7 each of which in turn engages a double-length stub which has been fed on to a curved track 8, in the manner described in the abovementioned specification, and pushes it along the track and on to the band 1 between two cigarette lengths. The stub and the two cigarette lengths between which it lies are together referred to herein as a group.

As can be seen in FIGURE 1, the stub (indicated by the reference S) is pushed on to the band 1 at a position where the band is starting to move over the suction chamber 4, and the stub is therefore almost immediately held suctionally on the band.

In advance of the stub feed there is provided a brake member 9, FIGURE 1, formed on one arm 10 of a double-armed lever pivoted at 11, the other arm 10a carrying a roller 12 which engages a cam 13 mounted on a shaft 14. The brake member 9 is thus moved to and fro by the cam 13, and as shown in FIGURE 1, is lo cated alongside the conveyor band 1 so as to be capable of moving into engagement with a cigarette length C carried by the band. At the other side of the band a stationary member 15, having a surface opposed to the operative surface of the member 9, is arranged so as to cooperate with the brake member so that when the latter moves towards the member 15, the opposed surfaces of the two members can grip a cigarette length lightly between them.

A pusher plate 16 having a long, straight pusher face 17 is mounted on two rotatable crank discs 18 and 19 whose rotation in the direction shown by the arrow on the disc 19 causes the plate 16 to move across the conveyor band 1 in a pushing stroke and then in a return stroke. The plate is pivotally mounted on the discs at 1811 and 19a, FIGURE 1. The movements of the pusher plate are so timed in relation to those of the disc 6 and other parts of the stub-feeding mechanism, and to those of the brake member 9, that the plate sweeps across the conveyor band 1 when the leading cigarette length C of a group, and the stub immediately behind it, have reached their correct position in relation to the plate, which accordingly pushes the group sideways off the conveyor 1.

The disc 18 is formed as a cam, and engages a roller 29 carried by a lever 21, pivoted at 21a to a fixed part 21b, and also pivotally connected at 22 to one end of an arm 23 on whose other end is mounted a stop member 24. The cam-disc 18 is so shaped that the arm 23 is given a lengthwise reciprocating movement so timed that the stop member 24 is moved forward (that is, in the general direction in which a group is pushed by the pusher plate) during a pushing stroke of the pusher plate. The movement of the arm 23 is controlled by a link 25 pivotally connecting the arm 23 to a fixed part.

A presser member 26 is mounted at one end of an arm 27 whose other end is pivoted at 28 to a link 29 pivotally mounted at 30 on a fixed projection 31. The arm 27 is also pivotally connected by a link 32 to a fixed part of the machine, and carries a roller 33 which engages a cam 34 mounted on the shaft 14. Rotation of the cam 34 swings the arm about the pivot 28, and the arm is at the same time constrained by the link 32 to move in a generally lengthwise direction, this latter movement being made possible by the link 29 swinging about its pivot 30.

A flexible plate 35, FIGURE 2, is mounted above the conveyor band 1, its free edge being spaced a suitable distance above the band such that a group (consisting of two cigarette lengths and a stub) pushed sideways from the band is lightly gripped by the plate 35 and band 1 while being pushed past them.

FIGURE 2 also illustrates the means by which successive groups are united by adhesive-coated uniting bands and then subdivided to form mouthpiece cigarettes.

A suction drum 36 having suction ports (not shown) on its periphery receives a web 37 of adhesive-coated material which is fed by feed rollers (not shown) which grip the web and feed it at a controlled speed slower than the linear speed of the peripheral conveyor surface of the drum, so that the latter slips beneath the web. A rotating knife carrier 38 is provided with knives 39 which cut the web, the cut portions being successively carried by the drum away from the uncut web and thereby spaced apart.

A short stationary plate 40 has a concave surface opposed to the peripheral surface of the drum 36, the two surfaces constituting a rolling chamber through which successive groups roll and are thereby united by rolling over uniting bands.

A fluted conveyor wheel 41 is arranged to receive united groups in its flutes 42, and to convey them past a rotating disc knife 43 which cuts each united group through its stub portion. The mouthpiece cigarettes thus produced are stripped from the flutes 42 by ramps 44.

The operation of the apparatus so far described is as follows:

Cigarette lengths, suitably spaced apart endwise, are fed, for example, directly from a cigarette-making machine, lengthwise on to the conveyor band 1. The stubfeeding mechanism, operating in timed relationship with the other parts of the apparatus, feeds a double-length stu-b into the space behind every second cigarette length, thus forming successive groups each consisting of two cigarette lengths with a stub between them.

As soon as a stub has been pushed by a pusher 7 completely on to the conveyor band 1 it is subjected to suction through the holes 3 and is thereby securely held on the band. The cigarette length C preceding the stub is also suctionally held on the hand. Then the brake member 9 moves towards the said leading cigarette length C and engages it about midway along its length, pressing it against the member So that the cigarette length is lightly gripped and its forward movement is retarded, but not stopped, while the suction band 1 slips beneath it.

The brake member remains in engagement with the cigarette length C until the stub S has overtaken it, and the brake member, under the control of the cam 13, then moves away to allow the leading cigarette length and the stub S, which are now in endwise abutment, to be moved forward at the speed of the conveyor, which they assume immediately due to the suctional grip of the conveyor on the cigarette and stub.

The pusher 7, which moves at the speed of the band 1, continues to push the stub S after the stub has overtaken the cigarette length C, and while the latter is still being gripped by the members 9 and 15, so that by the time the brake member 9 is swung away to release the cigarette length C, the leading cigarette length C and the stub have been positively located longitudinally in correct timed relationship with the other parts of the apparatus.

The period of retardation of the leading cigarette length is long enough to enable the rear cigarette length to overtake the stub as far as is practicable in view of the presence of the stub pusher 7 behind the stub. The arrangement of the group is then as illustrated at the 'left-hand side of FIGURE 1.

The group is then engaged by the pusher plate 16 moving across the band 1 in a pushing stroke, and is thus pushed past the plate 35, FIGURE 2, towards the rolling passage constituted by the opposed surfaces of the drum 36 and plate 40. The frictional engagement of the plate with the group causes the latter to be pressed against the edge 17 of the pusher plate and thus helps to ensure that they are in axial alignment. The suction exerted through the holes 3 in the band 1 also helps in this respect, and in some cases it may be found that the plate 35 can be dispensed with, the suction alone being suflicient to ensure proper alignment of the groups.

As the holes 3 are arranged in a central line along the band 1, the suction acting through the band tends to draw the cigarettes and stubs into axial alignment with each other, each having its longitudinal axis directly over the line of holes. When the plate 16 engages a group, the suction acting on the latter opposes sideways movement of the group, with the result that at the commencement of their sideways movement, the cigarettes and stub forming a group are urged by the suction against the face 17 of the pusher plate and are thereby brought into axial alignment with each other if they are not already perfectly aligned.

During the pushing stroke of the pusher plate, the stop member 24- has been moving forwardly, and the arm 27 carrying the pressure member 26 now swings clockwise, FIGURE 1, about its pivot 28, so that the member 26 approaches the stop member 24. This is timed so that the opposite ends of the group are engaged by the members 24 and 26 just after the group has passed the edge of the plate 35 (FIGURE 2) and is thus momentarily free from frictional restraint, so that the parts of the group are free to move endwise relatively to one another and to be pressed into close endwise abutment by the members 24 and 26, just before they are gripped laterally between the drum 36 and plate 40. The member 26 withdraws before the group has moved between the drum 36 and plate 40.

As a group enters the rolling passage it is overtaken by a uniting band and rolls over the latter to be united thereby. The united group is transferred into a flute 42 of the conveyor 41 and is subdivided by the knife 43 to form two individual mouthpiece cigarettes, which roll down the ramps 44 to be collected or otherwise disposed of in any suitable way.

it will be seen that the parts of a group are not necessarily brought into complete endwise abutment until after they have been pushed sideways off the conveyor band 1, when they are abutted by the member 26 moving towards the member 24. This is found to be satisfactory in practice, because due to the arrangement whereby the leading cigarette length and stub are accurately timed and located, and to the positive control exerted by the suction conveyor band not only on these parts but also on the rear cigarette length, it is possible to ensure that the whole group is so positioned at the time when it is engaged by the pusher plate 16 that it will be pushed between the members 24 and 26, which not only cause close abutment of the parts but also finally locate the group accurately endwise in relation to the uniting bands on the drum 36.

The apparatus described above with reference to FIG- URES 1 and 2 is, as mentioned, primarily intended for use with a continuous rod cigarette-making machine from which cigarette lengths are supplied directly to the conveyor 1, but can also be used in conjunction with a hopper from which cigarette lengths are supplied, thus providing a self-contained machine operable independently of a cigarette-making machine.

One such arrangement is illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5. The mechanism illustrated at the left-hand end of FIGURE 3 is identical with that shown in FIGURE 1, the various parts (except the conveyor band and suction chamber) having the same reference numerals, and this mechanism need not, therefore, be further described.

The perforated conveyor band, which in FIGURE 3 has the reference numeral 51, is in this construction extended rearwardly from the stub-inserting device so as to extend beneath a rotatable fluted conveyor wheel 52, provided with flutes 52a, which carries double-length cigarettes, one in each flute, from the bottom of a hopper 53, FIGURE 5, and conveys them downwardly. A regulating roller 54, FIGURE 5, regulates the feed of the cigarette lengths from the hopper. A rotating disc knife 55 is arranged to pass through a peripheral groove 56 in the wheel 52, and to out each double-length cigarette length in half. Arcuate guides 57 (FIGURE 5) hold the resulting pairs of cigarette-lengths in their flutes as they are carried downwardly. The flutes 52a, are arranged centrally of the wheel 52, the outer ends of the cigarette lengths being supported on flanges 58, FIGURE 4. For the sake of clearness the guides 57 are omitted from FIG- URE 4.

The conveyor wheel is arranged to deposit successive pairs of cigarette lengths upon the perforated conveyor band 51. To assist in this, a dabber device is provided, comprising a pair of arms 59 arranged to engage end portions of successive pairs of cigarette lengths (which extend beyond the flanges 58) and press them down on to the conveyor band. The arms 59 are eccentrically pivoted to a rotating disc 60 and are also pivoted to a link 61 pivotally connected to a fixed support 62, whereby rotation of the disc 6t imparts a generally rotary up and down motion to the arms 59.

The suction chamber extending beneath the band 51 is indicated in FIGURE 4 by the reference numeral 63, and FIGURES 4 and 5 also illustrate a suction duct 64 by which air is drawn from the chamber.

To ensure that each pair of cigarette lengths fed down on to the band 51 will promptly move forward with the conveyor band in correct longitudinal position, a reciprocating pusher 65, FIGURE 4, is arranged to move against the rear end face of each successive pair of cigarette lengths as soon as they reach the conveyor band.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, the successive pairs of cigarette lengths are carried lengthwise at spaced intervals by the band 51, and a stub is inserted into each space between two successive pairs. The brake member 9, moves inwardly to engage and retard the rear cigarette length of each pair after a stub has been fed on to the conveyor band behind it, and thus effects endwise separation of the two cigarette lengths constituting a pair. Thus the rear cigarette length of one pair, with the leading cigarette length of the next succeeding pair, together with a stub lying between them, are brought towards each other so as to form a group which is to be united.

Each group so formed is carried by the suction conveyor band into the range of action of the pusher plate 16, and this and subsequent operations are identical with thtzlse already described with reference to FIGURES 1 an 2.

In the construction just described, as in the previously described arrangement, it will be seen that the correct location of the cigarette-lengths and stubs, both longitudinally and laterally, is assisted by the positive grip exerted gn them by the suction acting through the perforated and.

The arrangement just described makes it possible to obtain the advantage of using double-length cigarette lengths in the hopper, while at the same time facilitating inspection of both ends of each single length. Thus the ends of the double-lengths can be inspected before they are placed in the hopper, and the ends which are formed by cutting these double lengths into pairs of individual lengths can be inspected after the mouthpiece cigarettes have been made. This is because the stubs are inserted between successive pairs of cigarette lengths and the pairs are then separated lengthwise, so that the freshly cut ends are the exposed ends of the assembled groups. It will be appreciated that when cigarette lengths are fed from a hopper, it is advantageous to be able to use double lengths since these are much more convenient for handling than single lengths.

A modified arrangement is illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7. In this arrangement the endwise separation of the cigarette lengths fed to a perforated conveyor band 151 in pairs is effected by a pair of rotating segmental rollers or discs 71 arranged on opposite sides of the conveyor hand. These discs are so arranged, and driven at such a speed, that their segmental cigarette-engaging edges, when opposed to each, grip the rear cigarette length of a pair, and move at a slower speed than that of the conveyor, thus retarding the gripped cigarette length. The discs are each angularly adjustable independently of each other so that the timing of their cigarette-engaging segments can be altered with respect to one another, thus altering the extent by which the two segmental edges register with each other. Thus the period during which the two opposed discs can cooperate to grip a cigarette length can be varied. This is illustarted in FIGURE 7, where one of the discs 71 is in a position at which its segmental portion is just about to disengage a cigarette length, while the segmental part of the other disc is still in contact with the cigarette length.

In the construction shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 it will be seen that the perforated conveyor band 151 is relatively short, and the cigarette lengths after separation are transferred on to a further conveyor 152, which may also be a suction conveyor. Instead of this arrangement, however, the conveyor band 151, and the suction chamber 153 over which it runs, may be extended the full length of the apparatus as in the construction shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4, in which case the further conveyor 152 would be omitted.

In FIGURES 6 and 7 no stub-feeding means is illus trated, but this may be the same as shown in FIGURE 3, and may be so located as to feed stubs on to the conveyor band either before or after separation of the pairs of cigarette lengths by the discs 71.

FIGURE 8 illustrates an alternative form of suction conveyor which, instead of consisting of a single band with a line of holes along its length as illustrated in FIGURES 1, 3 and 7, is formedin two side-by-side parts 81 and 82, with a narrow gap 83 between them. The gap 83 constitutes a continuous aperture or slot extending centrally along the length of the conveyor and communicating with the suction chamber. Each of the parts 81 and 82 thus forms a single endless band and these two parts or bands cooperate to form a suction conveyor, suction being applied through the gap or slot 83 to the cigarettes and stubs.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes, comprising an air pervious conveyor to carry lengthwise successive groups each consisting of two cigarette lengths with a mouthpiece portion between their ends, means to cause endwise aboutment of the cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portion constituting a group carried by the conveyor, means alongside said conveyor comprising opposed surfaces to grip successive groups between them while the said surfaces are moving relatively to each other to cause the groups to roll between said surfaces, defiector means including a straight pusher face to engage the sides of successive groups and push them sideways into the grip of said opposed surfaces, and suction means acting through the conveyor to apply suction to the cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portions so as to hold them to the conveyor and so as to oppose sideways movement of a group by the said pusher face, thereby urging the cigarette lengths and mouthpiece portion of a group against the pusher face as the latter pushes them sideways, and assisting in maintaining them axially aligned with one another before they are gripped between the said opposed surfaces.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveyor is provided with a single row of suction apertures extending along the length of the conveyor.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveyor is provided with a continuous suction aperture in the form of a narrow slot extending along its length.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the conveyor is made in two parts spaced laterally apart to provide the said slot.

5. Apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes, comprising a conveyor to feed cigarette lengths endwise in succession with spaces between their ends, a pusher to feed a mouthpiece portion on to the conveyor into a space behind a cigarette length, and a brake member arranged to move temporarily into frictional engagement with a side of the said cigarette length so as to retard its forward movement while the conveyor slips beneath it, the said brake member being arranged to remain in contact with the said cigarette length until the said mouthpiece portion has moved into endwise abutment with the cigarette length, and the said pusher being arranged to maintain engagement with said mouthpiece portion after the latter has moved into endwise abutment with the said cigarette length and until after the said brake member has disengaged the said cigarette length, whereby the said cigarette length and mouthpiece portion are correctly positioned lengthwise of the conveyor.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the said brake member is positioned alongside the conveyor, the said apparatus including a stationary member opposed to the brake member whereby on operation of the brake member to engage a. cigarette length the latter is gripped between the two said members.

7. Apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes, comprising a conveyor, means to feed pairs of endwise aligned cigarette lengths, onto said conveyor, with spaces between successive pairs, means to feed a mouthpiece portion into each of said spaces, and means to effect endwise separation of the two cigarette lengths which constitute each of said pairs, so as to form groups each consisting of two cigarette lengths with a mouthpiece portion between and in line with them, said last named means including a movable brake member and a stationary member positioned at opposite sides of the conveyor and having opposed surfaces, and means to move the brake member towards the stationary member so as to grip and retard the rear cigarette length of a pair so as to retard its movement with the conveyor and thereby separate the said length from the leading length of the said pair.

8. Apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes, comprising a conveyor, means to feed pairs of endwise aligned cigarette lengths, onto said conveyor, with spaces between successive pairs, means to feed a mouthpiece portion into each of said spaces, and means to effect endwise separation of the two cigarette lengths which constitute each of said pairs, so as to form groups each consisting of two cigarette lengths with a mouthpiece portion between and in line with them, said last named means including a pair of cooperating segmental rollers arranged to grip the rear cigarette length of a pair, and to rotate so that their segmental cigarette-engaging parts have a 10 surface speed slower than that of the conveyor, whereby the said length is retarded and separated from the leading length of the said pair.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the segmental rollers are angularly adjustable so as to alter the timing of the cigarette-engaging part of one with respect to that of the other, whereby the period of retarding eng'agement of said rollers with a cigarette may be adjusted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,118,508 Gwinn et al May 24, 1938 2,118,783 May May 24, 1938 2,162,424 Edwards June 13, 1939 2,176,485 Bron'auder Oct. 17, 1939 2,205,943 Davidson June 25, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,130,260 France Feb. 4, 1957 764,551 Great Britain Dec. 8, 1956 287,214 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1953 

